A coalition of local businesses is donating 51,000 reusable 20 oz. translucent water bottles to returning students in Savannah-Chatham and Effingham County public schools. Primarily sponsored by Enmarket, Savannah’s largest convenience store chain, the effort is intended to help ensure a safer experience for students since State guidelines recommend that schools turn off school water fountains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Diana Morrison of Ad Specialty got the ball rolling when we called her,” said Clyde Newton, Economic Development Liaison with Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. "She reached out to several local businesses that each signed up to sponsor a school.

Enmarket became the project’s principal sponsor, providing 32,000 bottles to Savannah-Chatham students and 14,000 to Effingham students. They joined the project’s initial sponsors, Thomas & Hutton, Savannah Technical College, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, ServiceMaster of Savannah, the YMCA of Coastal Georgia and Healthy Savannah, to provide a total of 51,000 water bottles to area students.

“When we became aware of this need, we saw a way to give back to the community, give back to the education system and to make school a safe experience for students," said Brett Giesick, President of Enmarket. “When school officials deem it’s safe for students to return, then they will have these bottles to use.”

“It was Paula Kreissler who had the idea of reaching out to Enmarket because of their partnership with Healthy Savannah in producing the Encourage Health educational series,” said Morrison. “One call to Matt Clements, VP of Marketing at Enmarket, and the rest of the schools were covered. Here we were in less than 24 hours and a budgetary and health problem was solved because of this very generous community.”

“We are grateful to Enmarket for making this happen so quickly as our students are returning to school this week,” said Mariella Manhatton of Effingham County Schools.

The Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines in May for operating schools during COVID-19 (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html). Those protocols encourage staff and students to bring their own water to minimize the use and touching of water fountains. The Georgia Department of Education, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health, then developed and issued Georgia’s Path to Recovery for K-12 Schools (GEORGIA PATH TO RECOVERY) that recommends turning off school water fountains and providing bottled water or allowing students and staff to bring water bottles from home.